Advice on medications

[Imagine1]

I have recently been prescribed Atorvastatin, a statin to help lower my chloresterol. I am on a slimming world diet which I have been on for a few years and lost a lot of weight. I mentioned this to my doctor and she couldn't understand why my chloresterol has gone higher. Neither do I. So she has put me on statins. I told her that I don't eat anything rubbish and I have a very healthy lifestyle. Does anyone know or have been on these to give me a bit of advice, I have heard of some horror stories about statins and the side effects. Also today I have been prescribed Venlafaxine for hot flushes. I was given patches and they burnt my skin and made my skin itch, it was only on for 2 minutes fell off my skin and burnt it. I don't like taking anything for HRT because of the side effects from them, luckily the only effects I get from the menopause are hot flushes. I had been taking tablet form for the past 6 years which I hated doing, I happened to mention to my doctor that my sex life has completely gone and he told me it is because of the tablets. I have not been taking them for the past 6 months but my sex life hasn't come back as yet, Does anyone know anything about these tablets. Thank you in advance.

[Batty1]

I couldn’t take Lipitor it increased my joint pains …. Have you had your thyroid levels checked ( TSH, FT4, FT3, T3 antibodies)? Poor thyroid function can definitely raise cholesterol levels and so can menopause.

[Imagine1 in reply to Batty1]

Thank you for your reply, I had lots of blood taken and the only thing that came back was higher cholesterol, I have been on the menopause for 9 years now, it is supposed to be getting better by now the hot flushes, but it isn't. I am dreading the summer. The doctor has given me anti depressants that actually stop the hot flushes which I am glad about because I don't like taking HRT because of the side effects.

[Smilesalot]

Hi image 1 Sweetie🤗,Where to start...

I take the same meds. I got no side effects with the statin except to sleep well for first 4 nights.

As for Venlafaxine it helped with my depression but ur right it ruins your sex life. I've become celebate since 2007 and you put weight on.

They are supposed to be difficult to come off but I've reduced by one and was fine after a week. I'm still on one in the morning and one at night and wouldn't mess until I felt ready.

I'm sorry the patches burned you.

Good luck .

I agree with batty1. Ask about thyroid tests.

Hugs sweetie Dawn.🤗🤗🤗

[Imagine1 in reply to Smilesalot]

Aww thank you for your reply. I am on a strict diet so if the Venlafaxine puts weight on me then it would be no good for me to take. The doctor told me that HRT tablets ruin your sex life, he never said anything about the anti depressants. I will try it for a month and see what happens. xx

[Smilesalot in reply to Imagine1]

Hi sweetie 🙂.If ur fine so far then I'm happy for you.

I haven't had a period for 9years so I'm guessing I'm done. No hrt for me.

Good luck getting there sweetie hugs🤗🤗🤗🤗😀

[Heman69]

I can only talk about statins as I take the same statin as you I’m on 40 mg a day as the lower dose did not work as with any statin to avoid any side affects like muscle cramps or worse you have should take COQ10 supplement every day and you will have no problems. once you take statins its best to keep taking them for ever or at the least as long as possible stopping them for any great length of time can make your cholesterol worse and even cause blocked arteries as that’s what happened to me after I couldn’t be bothered to take them for many months. Coq10 is good for the heart gives you extra energy and helps keep your skin looking younger and also stops statins from causing any side effect problems.

[Imagine1]

Aww thank you. What you have advised is fantastic, where would I get this supplement from? I must admit that worried me a bit when you said it can cause blocked arteries. My cholesterol isn't that high it is 7 but the doctor has worried me, I have no other symptoms like high blood pressure, I wouldn't like to take the risk of not taking them.

[SouthernSally]

I'm adding a link to a reply I made on this subject in Women's Health healthunlocked.com/womenshe...

[Imagine1 in reply to SouthernSally]

Thank you SouthernSally for your advice. I don't have diabetes. I think high cholesterol runs in my family, My dad had it but I don't know whether it was severe enough to take statins. I have bought drinks and margarine that supposed to reduce cholesterol, I hope they work as well as the statins that I am on.

[SouthernSally]

Triglycerides don't just relate to diabetes. And IMO margarine is worse for you than butter. Don't take my or anyone's word on this including your doctor's. Read, read, read about real nutrition. My parents took statins too because the doctor said so. No heart disease or stroke history. My mother was buying low fat ice cream for my father when he was ill, losing weight, and needing the calories from full fat ice cream. Crazy.

When the FDA went nuts with "no cholesterol," unhealthy foods that never had cholesterol to begin with put that stamp on their products. And people ate more of them. IMO the FDA drove obesity sky high in the US.

[Blackknight1989]

Southern Sally, interesting comments about the FDA, I certainly see the proof of your premise and it makes total sense…typical of a government agency tasked to “regulate” and yet cause more harm then if they didn’t exist….the more I research health and nutrition the more it seems the FDA is hindrance to health and nutrition as opposed to an effective oversight agency, but again typical of a governmental “regulator.”